Ayu: Anything Goes [XXIV]

[EndOfTheWorld]

I relate to this also. I feel very disconnected from Ayu beginning in 2017. I don't know what is going on anymore.
I don't understand what Ayu is thinking with the schedule change, all the tours, TROUBLE. I have been wanting some kind of interview to happen where she explains where she is at and explain her choices over the last two years.

[tokyoxjapanxfan]

Couldn’t agree more. I’m completely confused about what she’s doing.
She seems kind of lost. She might not be, but again, she’s barely communicates with us anymore.

Even TA.

[AyuCanada]

In 10 years, I have always been supportive and hopeful and today, well I think I am still supporting but I have very little hope. She had missteps before but always bounced back with a suprise, in 2015 she came back in strenght, we had 2 albums(and A One is still one of my favourite today), one single, one of her most elaborated tour (Cirque de minuit). She felt on a good track, but then it all stopped the year after. We didn't get a proper release since then (MIJ had some good songs but the release was very sketchy and this album really lacked of iddentity) then we had a major decrease in the quality of tours (POM was and ok entertaining and nostalgic tour, but the production was way below her previous arena tours, and with the limited dates number it was more like a bonus tour). I don't like the hall tours, they look cheap and have no iddentity. Timmy is completly useless, Trouble was the laziest album she made. In my thoughts, I think she is either lost or disinterested because I don't feel a lot of passion in her recent work. She is still a good showgirl and songwriter, but she seems to be out of juice lately.

[Corvina]

I know what you guys mean.
There were even so many Japanese fans being unhappy when her 20th Anniversary tour happened and one of those complaints were that she's constantly touring without releasing something.
Then she rushes an (mini-)album, so that people won't complain about another tour without a new release.
Is this the truth?
No idea, but because Ayu doesn't talk about it, it feels like that.

I do like how much energy she's showing in recent tours though (if it is not done with overacting and flailing), it's exactly what I like about artists.

[Sky High]

Originally Posted by AyuCanada

In 10 years, I have always been supportive and hopeful and today, well I think I am still supporting but I have very little hope. She had missteps before but always bounced back with a suprise, in 2015 she came back in strenght, we had 2 albums(and A One is still one of my favourite today), one single, one of her most elaborated tour (Cirque de minuit). She felt on a good track, but then it all stopped the year after. We didn't get a proper release since then (MIJ had some good songs but the release was very sketchy and this album really lacked of iddentity) then we had a major decrease in the quality of tours (POM was and ok entertaining and nostalgic tour, but the production was way below her previous arena tours, and with the limited dates number it was more like a bonus tour). I don't like the hall tours, they look cheap and have no iddentity. Timmy is completly useless, Trouble was the laziest album she made. In my thoughts, I think she is either lost or disinterested because I don't feel a lot of passion in her recent work. She is still a good showgirl and songwriter, but she seems to be out of juice lately.

2015 was really good year, after that everything went below her usual standards. I still think that her budget was cut so badly.

[Norrel]

I feel like all her budget was put in the CdM tour. The sheer amount of songs & production... that show even looked very expensive. Maybe avex didn’t feel comfortable allocating such a high budget to her after that.

[primavera♥]

Originally Posted by Sky High

2015 was really good year, after that everything went below her usual standards. I still think that her budget was cut so badly.

I think we can definitely infer a decrease in budget based on some of the projects done in the last few years. And a focus on money going to things like tours but still not with as high of a budget as in the past.

There is a way to do amazing things with a simple budget and sometimes ayu does that and other times, it looks like something that could be good with more money put into it

But it's always just inferring and assuming things. Never have any concrete information.

Regardless, I would just like to know where she is at mentally. And not just the usual "I will keep moving forward..."

[AyuCanada]

Originally Posted by Norrel

I feel like all her budget was put in the CdM tour. The sheer amount of songs & production... that show even looked very expensive. Maybe avex didn’t feel comfortable allocating such a high budget to her after that.

Bit that year her physical sales were doing ok, it was the first time since duty that her album sales didn't drop. she sold overs 100 000 units of albums and singles I have no information about ticket sales but since they added additionnal dates the ticket sales must have be good enough for it.she was also topping digital sales with a best. she was gaining a bit of fame back in china with her collaboration. So I don't see why they would have cut her budget dramatically.

[mi|kshake]

Originally Posted by Koumori

I think what alienates me the most is more that she isn't addressing this change in schedule, when we were used to her giving the impression of being very transparent with her fans. At least when it came to her music.

I would like the pause in releases and the toning down of her hectic standards to be acknowledged properly at some point. I don't mind it, it just feels like we're all kept waiting for the old release schedule and being kept in the dark about why it changed after almost 20 years.

Yes, I feel the same.

I know we've had it good for 18 years and obviously she can't keep up this release schedule forever but some acknowledgement would be nice. I liked knowing when to expect an album release. I also wish they would sort out her tour releases as they have been a bit inconsistent recently with some not being released and then being released through sites like Mu-mo and not CDJ and YA.

It does seem since the diagnosis of her hearing problems she's gone head first into touring and not thinking about the future and whilst it isn't always the most exciting time to be a fan (apart from the setlists and reviews of course!) with the way concerts are being released nowadays you can't always enjoy a Blu-ray release.

On another note, I've gotten a chance to listen to more of Trouble (there's been so much music to listen to recently!) and am listening to it right now. The cosy/familiar, slightly nostalgic and melancholic feels of aeternal, Words and The Way I Am are really doing it for me right now. I know these songs are quite basic and generic and I don't know how much I will think of them in years to come but right now they are just sounding perfect.

[LOGMAN]

Originally Posted by Gustavopc

^

This aside, I wonder if they still plan on releasing JTB Chapter 2

I doubt they have any intentions to ever release that; it is so similar to Chapter 3 that it would be almost redundant (the songs were mostly different, but the sketches and instrumentals/dance breaks were all the same). And even then, they didn't seem that interested in releasing Chapter 3 outside of the super expensive Mu-Mo editions.

I think standard concert releases are a thing of the past now. She probably doesn't sell enough for them to warrant it anymore.

[Uknow!]

Originally Posted by LOGMAN

I doubt they have any intentions to ever release that; it is so similar to Chapter 3 that it would be almost redundant (the songs were mostly different, but the sketches and instrumentals/dance breaks were all the same). And even then, they didn't seem that interested in releasing Chapter 3 outside of the super expensive Mu-Mo editions.

I think standard concert releases are a thing of the past now. She probably doesn't sell enough for them to warrant it anymore.

But she recorded the chapter 2 and did the edit, It can be seen in 7 days war.

[PinkShinigami]

Originally Posted by LOGMAN

I doubt they have any intentions to ever release that; it is so similar to Chapter 3 that it would be almost redundant (the songs were mostly different, but the sketches and instrumentals/dance breaks were all the same). And even then, they didn't seem that interested in releasing Chapter 3 outside of the super expensive Mu-Mo editions.

I think standard concert releases are a thing of the past now. She probably doesn't sell enough for them to warrant it anymore.

I just have to ask, how do you know that they are that similar? Every time I'm in this forum, I feel like everyone in here has been at every single ayu concert :

Completely off-topic, I'm listening to the Party Queen album again and I'm wondering exactly how that turned me off from being such a fan back then? Party Queen was about the time where I fell off from listening to her music, and OMG - it's such a beautiful album! Tell me why is possibly one of the most beautiful ballads she's ever made.

Just shows how much an album cover can do. Thinking back on it, I only associate Party Queen with "weird" songs like Party Queen and Eyes, smoke, magic. Listening to it again, I was honestly surprised that half of the songs are beautiful ballads lol.

Still hate.hate.hate the cover, though. I'm not scared of her sexuality, but putting her butt right up the camera is too much lol, and even those editions that are not that sexual are not very pretty imo :/

[Sandy]

Originally Posted by Norrel

I feel like all her budget was put in the CdM tour. The sheer amount of songs & production... that show even looked very expensive. Maybe avex didn’t feel comfortable allocating such a high budget to her after that.

I honestly feel stupid for not ever thinking about the budget
Back in the day, whenever I read "produced by Ayumi Hamasaki" I always thought it meant she paid for everything herself Somehow I keep forgetting that's not how it is.

Like many have pointed out, I also feel disconnected from the current her but I feel disconnected from a lot of people since I don't have social media accounts other than facebook so I can play some games I feel she's going 200km/hour and I can't make sense where her head or heart is. I don't mind Ayu releasing something I might not like because her happiness is the most important thing for me. So I really hope she's happy doing what she's doing now.

[Xianghua]

Originally Posted by PinkShinigami

Completely off-topic, I'm listening to the Party Queen album again and I'm wondering exactly how that turned me off from being such a fan back then? Party Queen was about the time where I fell off from listening to her music, and OMG - it's such a beautiful album! Tell me why is possibly one of the most beautiful ballads she's ever made.

I love Tell me why. It's such an underrated song! I didn't pay much attention to it during Party Queen's release but I relistened to it a few years ago and I was blown away.

[Gustavopc]

Tell me why and reminds me are two songs I came to love some time after Party Queen came out. I still have mixed feelings on the album but these two grew so much in me

[Earth_maiden]

I think Party Queen got too much flack back when it came out, it was just after her very public divorce from Manny and she brought in Timmy to be more prominent in her work and some people freaked out about it. She got a lot of shit on twitter around that time, I remember when she was active and happy to message fans and it was huge deal when one of us got a reply from her. Then she basically had to leave because she got so badly harassed by the Japanese media and "fans".

I was a fan of the album at release, I still don't like Eyes Smoke Magic but I can appreciate that its something pretty different from her norm. How Beautiful You Are is really amazing live, even with all the crying.

[LOGMAN]

Originally Posted by PinkShinigami

I just have to ask, how do you know that they are that similar? Every time I'm in this forum, I feel like everyone in here has been at every single ayu concert : :/

I'm guessing this was an attempt at a dig or saying I don't know?

I know because I went to both chapters.

Did I enjoy Chapter 2? Absolutely. But so much of it was repeated in Chapter 3, it could be that they edited them together and decided Chapter 3 was the stronger one to release.

[Sandy]

So I just found this

I'm working on some Ayu related stuff and suddenly found this. The song is called A ～La French mix～ feat. Hamasaki Ayumi from m.c.A・T, album called m.c.A・T - Returns!. I can't really find any information in English, can anyone let me in on what this is? This sounds like something from NOTHING FROM NOTHING -era yet this was released April 2nd 2004. So confused right now

[jean-baptiste]

"A" was a song ayu recorded with m.c.a.T that appeared on an avex compilation album in 1998 called "avex 10th Anniversary Presents avex THE ALBUM". So it was recorded and released super early in her formal career, but not during her "NOTHING FROM NOTHING" days.

That track you've linked is a remix of the song that appeared on an m.c.a.T. album later on.

[Sandy]

Originally Posted by jean-baptiste

"A" was a song ayu recorded with m.c.a.T that appeared on an avex compilation album in 1998 called "avex 10th Anniversary Presents avex THE ALBUM". So it was recorded and released super early in her formal career, but not during her "NOTHING FROM NOTHING" days.

That track you've linked is a remix of the song that appeared on an m.c.a.T. album later on.

I just had a mind-blown-moment! I remember that song now, oh my god
Thank you <3